Robert Bailey, Freelance Writer

Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (left) and other members of the West Indies squad engaging in stretching exercises at Sabina Park, yesterday. The opening Test match of the Digicel Home Series against Australia begins at the same venue on Thursday - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan has called on his players to lift their performance for the upcoming Digicel three-Test series against world number one, Australia.

The opening game of the series begins on Thursday at Sabina Park. Speaking following an extensive practice session at Sabina Park yesterday, Sarwan said:

"We are playing against the number one team in the world and we need to lift our game and play as consistently as we can."

He added that they would have to be very consistent in all areas - batting, bowling and fielding and perform as well as they did in the recent series against Sri Lanka.

Confident

"The guys are pretty confident, because we did well in our last two tours and it is important that we continue to play this way and try to improve as much as we can, especially against Australia," said Sarwan who was appointed captain after previous skipper, Jamaica's Christopher Gayle, was ruled out of, at least, the opening Test with a groin injury.

Sarwan was confident that there would be harmony in the camp. "I am sure that I am going to get the same support that Chris (Gayle) got from the guys ... " said the Guyanese batsman who has a batting average of 40.12 from 69 Test matches.

On Australia's last tour of the region in 2003, West Indies scored a record 418 to win the final Test, after they lost the first three.

Number one team

Sarwan stated: "They are the number one team in the world and it would be a pleasure to beat them, and if we can do this it would be very good for all of us in the region."

Thirteen members of the 14-man West Indies team were present at yesterday's practice session. Absent was middle order batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul. He was expected in the island last night. Local opener Xavier Marshall has been drafted into the squad as a stand-by player.